About Us
We opened our doors in July 2015 with the hope that Ignacio residents would feel a sense of communal ownership in Farmers Fresh Market. To best serve the community, we not only offer all the supermarket departments and items needed, but we also provide a level of service and warmth that surpasses all expectations. From the carry-out grocery service and the opening of a local feed store, to the helpfulness and friendliness of the staff, Farmers Fresh Market is much more than a one-stop shop.
We promise convenience through our location, organized layout, grab-and-go items for every meal, and attached liquor store and feed store, while maintaining affordable prices with sales and specials every single week.
In addition to the main departments listed on our website, we also have a large dairy & frozen section and sell agricultural products, local products (such as Desert Sun Coffee, Honeyville & more), and seasonal treats like Christmas-themed cupcakes and turkey-shaped meat plates for Thanksgiving!
Stop in, say “Hi,” and experience the value of an all-inclusive grocery store coupled with the freshness and hometown feel of your local grocer.
Meet the Owners
Ezra and Brook Lee are the proud owners of Farmers Fresh Market. Having community involvement in Ignacio and the surrounding area isn’t something new to the Lees. Brook was born and raised in La Plata County, moving to the Ignacio area when she was in junior high school. She quickly realized at that young age what a great place Ignacio was to grow up! 4-H, FFA, cheerleading, and social service activities all steered Brook in a direction of community involvement. After high school, she left to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Once college was over, Brook chose to move back home to Ignacio where she felt a connection with the people and wanted to, once again, be part of a community with spirit! Ezra moved to La Plata County in 1998, after living around the country working in oil and gas. Once he arrived, he never left! Ezra has been involved in several business ventures in the county, each one with its own unique vision of community involvement. Ezra and Brook live on their ranch east of Ignacio, with their two young sons, Vaughn and Truman. This family is honored to call Ignacio, Colorado their home.
In 1965, the McClanahan family built a wonderful market in Ignacio that became a central meeting point for locals and visitors from miles around – it wasn’t just a place to shop! When the market was torn down, Ezra and Brook wanted to bring back that old feeling of a community shopping experience within the new structure of a grocery store. The Lees built Farmers Fresh Market in the same spot where the market had previously stood to carry on the tradition of fresh groceries and deep-rooted community values.
Meet the Staff
Amos Lee
Amos Lee moved to Ignacio from Montana with his family in 2014 and is General Manager of Farmers Fresh Market. He feels blessed for the opportunity to be a part of Farmers Fresh from the beginning. His professional background is in construction, ranching, and farming. In his free time, he enjoys carpentry, gardening, singing, and spending time in nature with his family. Amos feels honored to work with an amazing group of people, both in the construction phase of Farmers Fresh and now in the daily operations of the store. He is thankful for the continual learning experience as GM of the store.
Amos and his family are grateful for this community that has supported their effort to provide this service.
Steve Chapman
Steve Chapman is the Store Manager at Farmers Fresh. He was fortunate enough to join the Farmers Fresh team when the foundation was being built. He brought 30 years of relevant experience in retail, food service, and accounting from his previous life experiences in the Northwest. Steve has an accounting degree. He was born in California, and raised in the Northwest. It was in Walla Walla, Washington that he met his Colorado wife and started his family. He has three children and lives in Arboles by the beautiful Navajo Lake.
Cindy Swanemyr
Cindy is the Office Manager at Farmers Fresh Market, where her bright smile helps co-workers and welcomes customers. She loves her bosses and co-workers and her favorite part of the job is taking care of customers and book keeping. Cindy has been with Farmers Fresh since day 1. She was raised and lives in Ignacio. Cindy enjoys her free time by going 4 wheeling and camping. She has been in the grocery business her whole life even working at the old grocery store before it was torn down and the new one built. She enjoys spending time with her 3 kids and 6 grandkids.
Analise Mahnken
Analise is the Scan Coordinating Manager and has been a part of the Farmers Fresh team for the last two years. She has lived in the area most of her life, growing up in Bayfield then moving to Ignacio where she currently resides. She has three children, one daughter and two sons. She enjoys quality time with her children and her friends, reading, and spending time outdoors. From day one she has been a valued member of our team. She started out as a cashier but has worked her way up in the store, working in customer service and as the grocery manager.
Pam Hawkins
Pam is the Grocery Manager here at Farmers Fresh. Born and raised in Texas, she moved to Ignacio 7 years ago to start a new journey. Before joining the Farmers Fresh team, she worked in law enforcement, as a teacher’s assistant and deaf interpreter for an elementary school, as a caregiver for the elderly for 14 years, and after moving to Ignacio she worked for the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. She has been married for over 30 years and has been blessed with 2 kids and 2 wonderful grandchildren. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in the outdoors and going off-roading, as well as learning about the local history.
Selene Lujan
Selene is the Deli Manager at Farmers Fresh Market. She has been with Farmers Fresh for 2 years. She was raised in Delicias, Chihuahua, Mexico. Selene currently lives in Aztec, New Mexico. She brings 4 years of experience in the food service to the Farmers Fresh Team. When she joined the team, the dream of a build your own burrito bar in the store’s deli became a realization. On her off time she loves to dance and sleep. Selene has 3 handsome kids.
Amanda Griffing
Amanda is the Cashier Manager at Farmers Fresh. She moved to Ignacio at the end of 2014 from Coleman, Texas. After her move she worked at 7-2-11 for three years before joining the Farmers Fresh family, where she has worked as a cashier for 3 years before accepting the role of Cashier Manager 2 years ago. She loves her job and enjoys interacting with customers. When not at the store she enjoys spending time with her fiancé Andy and her son Jacob, as well as hanging out with coworkers and enjoying the natural beauty of Colorado.
Skippy Totos
Skippy has been the Produce Manager at Farmers Fresh since 2018. He has lived in the Durango area since 1998. Since then he has run a local motel & driven for UPS, but he has found a home at Farmers Fresh. In his free time he enjoys listening to his extensive music collection. He also enjoys living the tiny house life with his wife, Michelle who has her own companion tiny house. Michelle also runs the Grab ‘n’ Go section at Farmers Fresh.
Sheila Pontine
Sheila is the Feed Store Manager for Farmers Fresh. She has been with Farmers Fresh since day 1. She loves being a part of an establishment that cares and supports our community and employees and is grateful for the opportunities Farmers Fresh has afforded her. She loves relaxing with her husband Stuart and has 6 amazing Grandies that are the best.
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